1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to tool organizers, and more particularly, to tool organizers capable of mounting on the side of a waste receptacle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Gardening and other outdoor projects are as popular today as they were decades ago. In addition to the popular hobby of gardening or landscaping, craft projects are often performed outside, or small carpentry or automotive projects. It is necessary to keep a variety of small tools handy for easy access during any of these projects.
For example, a person may need to perform a variety of chores in the yard, such as weeding, watering, trimming hedges, and/or planting, most which require a waste receptacle and a variety of specific tools. Many people prefer to keep other personal comfort items with them, such as their cell phone and soft drink. As the yard worker moves from work site to work site within the yard, it can be quite awkward to keep track of and to transport all of these items with the user to avoid misplacement.
Waste containers are made of molded plastic and are available in different sizes and shapes, from approximately 7 gallon capacity to 64 gallon capacity. The outer shape of the waste container may be circular, square or rectangular. The upper, perimeter lip of the waste container also varies in size and thickness. The sides of the waste container are sloped inward so that they may be easily removed when molded. During use, the main opening of the waste container must be accessible so that large items, such as branches, leaves, etc. may be easily deposited therein.
What is needed is a horizontally aligned tray-type receptacle designed to hold a plurality of tools or other items laterally over different sizes of outer rims on circular or square waste containers that does not block the main opening to the waste container.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a garden caddy that is designed to attach to the upper rim of a circular or square waste container.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a garden caddy that attaches to the waste container""s outer rim and extends laterally therefrom thereby keeping the main opening of the waste container open so that waste material may be easily deposited therein.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a garden caddy that is adjustable for use with different sizes and shapes of waste containers.
These and other objects of the present invention are met by a caddy for supporting and transporting garden supplies and the like on the upper rim of a waste container. The caddy comprises a flat tray made of plastic or similar rigid material that attaches over and extends laterally from the upper rim of the waste container. Formed on the tray on opposite sides thereof is a concave-shaped, downward extending lip and a straight, downward extending lip. The tray includes a large, centrally located, downward extending cavity designed to hold garden tools, gloves and the like. The opposite side walls of the cavity are also concave and straight, and are parallel to the concave and straight, downward extending lips formed on the tray. The cavity is smaller in width than the tray so that the lips are spaced apart from the side walls of the cavity thereby forming curved and straight slots which receive the convex-shaped and straight upper rims of a waste container, respectively. Formed on the tray and around the cavity is a plurality of smaller, downward extending cavities designed to hold smaller objects such as a cellular telephone or soft drink. Also formed on the tray are optional smaller holes in which various narrow objects such as tool handles, screwdrivers, and the like may be inserted.
Attached to the bottom surface of the large cavity are at least two adjustable leg members that extend laterally from the bottom surface to press against the convex or straight sides of a waste container. During use, the length of the leg member is adjusted so that the tray may be horizontally aligned when attached to the waste container or other objects with sloped outer sides.